Happy Being The Farang

[brianb1944]

We never pretended to be anything else than farang.

That's the constant reminder that gets tedious.

In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there.

Why do we have to put up with it?

You don't have to, you choose to, if you choose not to, exercise your other options.

We never pretended to be anything else than farang.

That's the constant reminder that gets tedious.

In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there.

Why do we have to put up with it?

you dont have to put up with it, however in what way are you constantly reminded that you are a farang, by being called a farang.

Should they stop being thai and change their language, because farang is simply the word they use.

The only way someone can remind you is if you have forgotten.

I don,t walk round the UK constantly pointing out Black, Polish, indian, Inuit, to every other Uk citizen I meet.

If you did, you wouldn't have time to do anything else.

[Emdog]

Like they say "Don't sweat the small stuff". I have been here quite a while and I have noted that the normal Thai ability to bounce back from rudeness from Farangs seems to be wearing thin. Maybe it is the large influx of boorish rude Russians, I don't know. I know I wince at some of what they do.

I taught myself a decent amount of Thai. I have to laugh at my American friends who complain about immigrants to USA who "won't even learn English!" "Oh, and do you speak Thai?" of course they don't, think they don't have to.

Seems if you make the effort to learn to communicate, don't hold all Thais personally responsible for everything that isn't like "back home" and put a touch of humor into living here, things will be just fine.

Compare the +'s and the -'s. If +>-, stay. If not, move on. Or shut the hell up.

[ayayay]

I cannot believe this thread keeps appearing....it is so ridiculous....get a grip, only weak and easily offended people would be that bothered about this....you are in a foreign country, they don't have to abide by YOUR values etc.......

You are very naive, ignorant and shallow. You simply do not grasp the problems associated with you being an object.

Let me guess, you are 19 years old, and have visited Thailand in total of 2 months, and you love to party in the bars all the time, of course it is funny to be "farang".

However, when you are turning 40, and have been here for many years, you will hopefully begin to see connections between how Thais sometimes treats foreigners, that is, not always in a good way. Sure it can happen anyway, but it do happen alot more because the constant notion is us being an object, rather than human

Edited May 13, 2013 by ayayay

[richard_smith237]

I just went on a reunion with a group of Thai guys I have known for about 10 years. About 200 guys in total all with their wive's and family. Football and golf was enjoyed over a couple of days. I only knew about 20 guys, the rest don't know me. I never once overheard the word farang.

While playing football we had an MC and loud speaker, when I first touched the ball I heard MC ask once of his colleagues "Whats his Name?... and from then on it was, Richard on the ball etc.. Shot by Richard, Richard Bringing Eurpean tactics into Thailand (after I fouled a guy !)... All great fun.. The point I want to make is that amongst people I didn't know well I was never referred to as Farang.

This triggered a conversation between my Wife and I regarding the use of Farang and the ongoing ThaiVisa topic. The response was quite simply: Farang is impolite when they can ask my name and / or easily find out I'm English. Low class people may use Farang more readily, that is down to a lack of social grace.

So, while it isn't rude, its use is often ignorant.

[Suradit69]

We never pretended to be anything else than farang.

That's the constant reminder that gets tedious.

In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there.

Why do we have to put up with it?

"In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there."

I have Asian friends in the US, who are second or third generation Americans, who speak with fluent Americanese and who are often asked, "Where do you come from?"

And how often on TV is someone described as British or Swedish or whatever and after seeing his name the TV crowd announces, that name isn't really British or Swedish or whatever, or "He certainly doesn't look British!!" ... even though the person in question apparently has a passport from that country.

Edited May 13, 2013 by Suradit69

[IMA_FARANG]

Well, I was born in the U.S. but I haven't lived there more than a few short visits for 40 tears at least.

The fact that I was born there does not make me an American.

I am retired and a long term resident of Bangkok, but that does not a Thai.

I have worked and lived in a number of countries around the world before I retired but I am not a them.

I am a me....I have my own personality.....and what others call me is irrelevant.

So I don't pay that much attention to what others call me or refer to me as.

I know who I am, and I am my own person ... a me.

I'll always be a me, sufficient unto myself and willing to answer for my actions.

I hope to always be that same me until I pass away.

That stays the same, if I happen too be in Bangkok, or temporarily in Vietnam like now.

Wherever I am, whatever someone calls me, I'm still really only a me.

[winstonc]

i dont care what they call me as long as they let me stay in THEIR country,,,,,,,,,,,,

[winstonc]

i dont get what op means,if hes born in america ,hes american,,not thai,vietnamese etc,, god im confused,i was born in uk,so im swiss,,

[DoctorG]

I don't care what they call me. It is the way they say it that matters. We Aussies have a tendency to call each other all sorts of nasty names; eg lucky bxxxxxx, silly pr*ck, mad cxxx. Said with a smile in your voice, and in your eyes, it is just playful.

Edited May 13, 2013 by DoctorG

[ayayay]

We never pretended to be anything else than farang.

That's the constant reminder that gets tedious.

In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there.

Why do we have to put up with it?

"In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there."

I have Asian friends in the US, who are second or third generation Americans, who speak with fluent Americanese and who are often asked, "Where do you come from?"

But the HUGE DIFFERENCE, is that when we get to know this asian looking person, and understands he has the same background as the rest of the americans, listening to the same music, referring to the same tv shows, etc, he no longer is asian. He becomes a person, he becomes an american, rather than just "asian". A good example can be bassist John Myung from Dream Theater http://www.dreamtheater.net/board_posts/artist-bio, he sure looks asian, but do the rest of the band think of him being another race/nationality all daylong? Nope. He is American.

[Kitsune]

Like they say "Don't sweat the small stuff". I have been here quite a while and I have noted that the normal Thai ability to bounce back from rudeness from Farangs seems to be wearing thin. Maybe it is the large influx of boorish rude Russians, I don't know. I know I wince at some of what they do. I taught myself a decent amount of Thai. I have to laugh at my American friends who complain about immigrants to USA who "won't even learn English!" "Oh, and do you speak Thai?" of course they don't, think they don't have to. Seems if you make the effort to learn to communicate, don't hold all Thais personally responsible for everything that isn't like "back home" and put a touch of humor into living here, things will be just fine. Compare the +'s and the -'s. If +>-, stay. If not, move on. Or shut the hell up.

Some of us have ties/families/jobs/obligations here.

What's wrong in trying to better the place we live in?

Plus if your rule (if you don't like leave) applies to this topic, you don't have

a/ to read it

b/ to write in it

[laislica]

Like they say "Don't sweat the small stuff". I have been here quite a while and I have noted that the normal Thai ability to bounce back from rudeness from Farangs seems to be wearing thin. Maybe it is the large influx of boorish rude Russians, I don't know. I know I wince at some of what they do. I taught myself a decent amount of Thai. I have to laugh at my American friends who complain about immigrants to USA who "won't even learn English!" "Oh, and do you speak Thai?" of course they don't, think they don't have to. Seems if you make the effort to learn to communicate, don't hold all Thais personally responsible for everything that isn't like "back home" and put a touch of humor into living here, things will be just fine. Compare the +'s and the -'s. If +>-, stay. If not, move on. Or shut the hell up.

Some of us have ties/families/jobs/obligations here.

What's wrong in trying to better the place we live in?

Plus if your rule (if you don't like leave) applies to this topic, you don't have

a/ to read it

b/ to write in it

Well Kitsune the real thing is this:

This is TVF and the object it to get as many posts in as possible.

The quick way to achieve that objective is by a troll type post to wind a few folk up.

BINGO, loads of replies are then possible and the number count rises and gives the poster a sense of power and glory.

Another way is to "Quote" someone else's post and add +1 rather than apply a like.

Some even put + more than 1...... and they impress me no end.

Don't argue with idiots. They'll drag you down to their level and beat you...

[Kitsune]

Like they say "Don't sweat the small stuff". I have been here quite a while and I have noted that the normal Thai ability to bounce back from rudeness from Farangs seems to be wearing thin. Maybe it is the large influx of boorish rude Russians, I don't know. I know I wince at some of what they do. I taught myself a decent amount of Thai. I have to laugh at my American friends who complain about immigrants to USA who "won't even learn English!" "Oh, and do you speak Thai?" of course they don't, think they don't have to. Seems if you make the effort to learn to communicate, don't hold all Thais personally responsible for everything that isn't like "back home" and put a touch of humor into living here, things will be just fine. Compare the +'s and the -'s. If +>-, stay. If not, move on. Or shut the hell up.

Some of us have ties/families/jobs/obligations here.

What's wrong in trying to better the place we live in?

Plus if your rule (if you don't like leave) applies to this topic, you don't have

a/ to read it

b/ to write in it

Well Kitsune the real thing is this:

This is TVF and the object it to get as many posts in as possible.

The quick way to achieve that objective is by a troll type post to wind a few folk up.

BINGO, loads of replies are then possible and the number count rises and gives the poster a sense of power and glory.

Another way is to "Quote" someone else's post and add +1 rather than apply a like.

Some even put + more than 1...... and they impress me no end.

Don't argue with idiots. They'll drag you down to their level and beat you...

I'm sorry I have offended you.

I am not trying to wind up anyone

My posts are only reflecting TV posters' opinion and you can do a search on "Farang" here and you will find many topics on the subjects.

[HardenedSoul]

I cannot believe this thread keeps appearing....it is so ridiculous....get a grip, only weak and easily offended people would be that bothered about this....you are in a foreign country, they don't have to abide by YOUR values etc.......

You are very naive, ignorant and shallow. You simply do not grasp the problems associated with you being an object.

Let me guess, you are 19 years old, and have visited Thailand in total of 2 months, and you love to party in the bars all the time, of course it is funny to be "farang".

However, when you are turning 40, and have been here for many years, you will hopefully begin to see connections between how Thais sometimes treats foreigners, that is, not always in a good way. Sure it can happen anyway, but it do happen alot more because the constant notion is us being an object, rather than human

Ok perhaps the poor, oppressed, downtrodden among you can give us a few examples of how they've been treated badly by the Thais.

Edited May 13, 2013 by HardenedSoul

[irishken]

is it just me that is always called by his first name?

[Kitsune]

I cannot believe this thread keeps appearing....it is so ridiculous....get a grip, only weak and easily offended people would be that bothered about this....you are in a foreign country, they don't have to abide by YOUR values etc.......

You are very naive, ignorant and shallow. You simply do not grasp the problems associated with you being an object.

Let me guess, you are 19 years old, and have visited Thailand in total of 2 months, and you love to party in the bars all the time, of course it is funny to be "farang".

However, when you are turning 40, and have been here for many years, you will hopefully begin to see connections between how Thais sometimes treats foreigners, that is, not always in a good way. Sure it can happen anyway, but it do happen alot more because the constant notion is us being an object, rather than human

Ok perhaps the poor, oppressed, downtrodden among you can give us a few examples of how they've been treated badly by the Thais.

Good point in theory but giving examples here is a can of worms unfortunately

[Archie Pelago]

is it just me that is always called by his first name?

...Irish?

[rgs2001uk]

I am from the UK and I am not a farang. I am either <my_name> or the Englishman or the European. And if I *am* a farang, Thais must be Keks (dark-skinned inferior member of the species fit only for manual labour).

How can a Thai be a kaek in their own country?

Do you know what kaek means in Thai?

By all means feel free to call them a keak in Farangland.

As a visitor to Thailand you are also a kaek.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I cannot believe this thread keeps appearing....it is so ridiculous....get a grip, only weak and easily offended people would be that bothered about this....you are in a foreign country, they don't have to abide by YOUR values etc.......

You are very naive, ignorant and shallow. You simply do not grasp the problems associated with you being an object.

Let me guess, you are 19 years old, and have visited Thailand in total of 2 months, and you love to party in the bars all the time, of course it is funny to be "farang".

However, when you are turning 40, and have been here for many years, you will hopefully begin to see connections between how Thais sometimes treats foreigners, that is, not always in a good way. Sure it can happen anyway, but it do happen alot more because the constant notion is us being an object, rather than human

Ok perhaps the poor, oppressed, downtrodden among you can give us a few examples of how they've been treated badly by the Thais.

I'm thinking for you and me, farang would be an improvement on what we were often called in our home countries.

Being called a name because my skin color is different to those around me is not something I ever accepted, nor got used to.

[ayayay]

I cannot believe this thread keeps appearing....it is so ridiculous....get a grip, only weak and easily offended people would be that bothered about this....you are in a foreign country, they don't have to abide by YOUR values etc.......

You are very naive, ignorant and shallow. You simply do not grasp the problems associated with you being an object.

Let me guess, you are 19 years old, and have visited Thailand in total of 2 months, and you love to party in the bars all the time, of course it is funny to be "farang".

However, when you are turning 40, and have been here for many years, you will hopefully begin to see connections between how Thais sometimes treats foreigners, that is, not always in a good way. Sure it can happen anyway, but it do happen alot more because the constant notion is us being an object, rather than human

Ok perhaps the poor, oppressed, downtrodden among you can give us a few examples of how they've been treated badly by the Thais.

I hear about, and read, on a daily basis, of foreigner who are getting ripped off here and there, very often by their girlfriend/wife, but also in regular business relationships, how can you have missed that?

[HardenedSoul]

Ok perhaps the poor, oppressed, downtrodden among you can give us a few examples of how they've been treated badly by the Thais.

Lemme just expand on this:

Just how does being called, described or treated as a "farang" in Thailand blight your existence?

Are you unable to walk down the street without packs of pitch-fork-wielding locals pursuing you?

Do the Thai lovelies in the bars you frequent recoil in horror at the merest hint of "impropriety"?

Do you receive poor service at restaurants while the locals - well, the ones who can afford to eat at higher-end establishments - are treated like demi-gods?

Just askin'

[JLCrab]

If I gave it any really thought, the only part of being called 'farang' that might bother me is that they are associating me with the French (farangseet) -- if you ran into any Western male a hundred years ago in SE Asia, he was almost certainly French which is at least one theory on where the word originates.

[HardenedSoul]

I cannot believe this thread keeps appearing....it is so ridiculous....get a grip, only weak and easily offended people would be that bothered about this....you are in a foreign country, they don't have to abide by YOUR values etc.......

You are very naive, ignorant and shallow. You simply do not grasp the problems associated with you being an object.

Let me guess, you are 19 years old, and have visited Thailand in total of 2 months, and you love to party in the bars all the time, of course it is funny to be "farang".

However, when you are turning 40, and have been here for many years, you will hopefully begin to see connections between how Thais sometimes treats foreigners, that is, not always in a good way. Sure it can happen anyway, but it do happen alot more because the constant notion is us being an object, rather than human

Ok perhaps the poor, oppressed, downtrodden among you can give us a few examples of how they've been treated badly by the Thais.

I hear about, and read, on a daily basis, of foreigner who are getting ripped off here and there, very often by their girlfriend/wife, but also in regular business relationships, how can you have missed that?

You've read??!!

You've heard??!!

Jesus, what is wrong with you people?

I didn't ask about what you'd read or heard; I asked how you, personally, have been adversely affected by being a farang in Thailand.

I mean, locals get ripped off too, right? Just because you might not hear or read about it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen, right?

Foreigners don't get ripped off because of their skin colour or country of origin - they get ripped off because they make ill-advised decisions regarding relationships and business ventures.

Should they be provided with an additional layer of government-supported protection against their own stupidity or lack of business acumen because they're not Thai???

[ozziebloke]

We never pretended to be anything else than farang.

That's the constant reminder that gets tedious.

In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there.

Why do we have to put up with it?

"In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there."

I have Asian friends in the US, who are second or third generation Americans, who speak with fluent Americanese and who are often asked, "Where do you come from?"

But the HUGE DIFFERENCE, is that when we get to know this asian looking person, and understands he has the same background as the rest of the americans, listening to the same music, referring to the same tv shows, etc, he no longer is asian. He becomes a person, he becomes an american, rather than just "asian". A good example can be bassist John Myung from Dream Theater http://www.dreamtheater.net/board_posts/artist-bio, he sure looks asian, but do the rest of the band think of him being another race/nationality all daylong? Nope. He is American.

I would say the answer is in your first statement

But the HUGE DIFFERENCE, is that when we get to know this asian looking

person, and understands he has the same background as the rest of the

americans, listening to the same music, referring to the same tv shows,

etc, he no longer is asian.

[pgs]

As long as they don't call me late for dinner, I don't worry what they call me.

Falang, Farang, Loong, Loong-Lang... interesting variations of my real name... whatever.

As long as they are happy to see me.

[ayayay]

I hear about, and read, on a daily basis, of foreigner who are getting ripped off here and there, very often by their girlfriend/wife, but also in regular business relationships, how can you have missed that?

You've read??!!

You've heard??!!

Jesus, what is wrong with you people?

Calm down, yes, there are many foreigners who are getting treated badly, do I say that every one of them would have not being ripped off or scammed, had they not being referred to as an object (that is Farang), hell no!

But do I see a clear connection between the constant need to refer to us as "farang", rather than humans, and many problems we face here on a daily basis, hell yes!!

Edited May 13, 2013 by ayayay

[pgs]

If I gave it any really thought, the only part of being called 'farang' that might bother me is that they are associating me with the French (farangseet) -- if you ran into any Western male a hundred years ago in SE Asia, he was almost certainly French which is at least one theory on where the word originates.

that one wouldn't bother me either - being part French.

[GarryP]

I hear about, and read, on a daily basis, of foreigner who are getting ripped off here and there, very often by their girlfriend/wife, but also in regular business relationships, how can you have missed that?

You've read??!!

You've heard??!!

Jesus, what is wrong with you people?

Calm down, yes, there are many foreigners who are getting treated badly, do I say that every one of them would have not being ripped off or scammed, had they not being referred to as an object (that is Farang), hell no!

But do I see a clear connection between the constant need to refer to us as "farang", rather than humans, and many problems we face here on a daily basis, hell yes!!

I think I would prefer "farang" to "manut" (Thai for human).

[JLCrab]

I routinely get cheated,scammed, and called 'farang', but as long as she does it with her clothes off, I try not to complain too much.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I hear about, and read, on a daily basis, of foreigner who are getting ripped off here and there, very often by their girlfriend/wife, but also in regular business relationships, how can you have missed that?

You've read??!!

You've heard??!!

Jesus, what is wrong with you people?

Calm down, yes, there are many foreigners who are getting treated badly, do I say that every one of them would have not being ripped off or scammed, had they not being referred to as an object (that is Farang), hell no!

But do I see a clear connection between the constant need to refer to us as "farang", rather than humans, and many problems we face here on a daily basis, hell yes!!

I think I would prefer "farang" to "manut" (Thai for human).

I'm thinking 'manut' is person as in 'intelligent being' and not necessarily human.

As 'manut tang dow' would be 'person from another star'. I watch too many sci-fi films with Thai subs.

Edited May 13, 2013 by AnotherOneAmerican